Cocktail Party Fact: Aaron Copland originally titled his Pulitzer Prize winning music, Ballet for Martha. He met with Martha Graham before the opening and asked her what the title was. She told him and he said, “Does it have anything to do with the ballet?” She said, “No. I just liked it.”

Here’s the plot: Appalachian Spring is the celebration and marriage of a young couple which takes place in their new home. The Husband, the Bride, the Revivalist, and the Pioneer Woman are the main characters. Each have their own solos expressing their inner emotions, with the exception of the Pioneer Woman. The Husband, though normally conservative, appears to be joyful and proud. He is constantly shielding his wife from the dangers of the outside world. The Bride is, for a time, extremely happy but unable to express this to the others. She becomes consumed with worries about children, the land, and loneliness. The Revivalist, a vain character, loves the community’s attention and the power he seemingly holds over them. His sermon after the wedding is about hellfire and doom, and he is absorbed with the ideas of sin and punishment. However, at the end the couple is left looking hopeful and strong on their new land.

Memorable Moments: The Bride’s soliloquy

Vital Statistics: Choreography by Graham, music by Copland, and design by Isamu Noguchi. Graham played the Bride, her real-life husband Erick Hawkins played the Husband, and Merce Cunningham played the Revivalist. The premier took place at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., on October 30, 1944.

Why See It?: It’s the most reknowned of Graham’s work and the easiest of them all to love.